Tickets on sale for first annual SmokeSlam BBQ Festival
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tickets are officially on sale for the first annual SmokeSlam BBQ Festival held at Tom Lee Park
On May 16-18, nearly 60 teams will compete in a barbecue showdown for $250,000, the largest prize money in barbecue history. The festival will also host barbecue tastings, live concerts, celebrity book signings, and much more.
The festival is organized by Mempho Presents, a company who says they are “dedicated to creating world class experiences that stay true to what makes Memphis, Memphis.”
Attendees can expect nightly concerts from numerous known bands including Young MC, Tone Loc, St. Paul and The Broken Bones, and The Bar-Kays.
The barbecue competition will have three separate categories, including whole hog, ribs, and pulled pork. Competitors are coming to Memphis from 11 states, some as far as Wisconsin and Arizona, to show off their barbecue skills.
Comedian, actress, and host of “BBQ Showdown” on Netflix, Michelle Buteau, will also not only be in attendance, but is set to host Saturday evening’s awards ceremony.
59 contestants to compete in first SmokeSlam barbecue contest
“Our vision was to create an inclusive event, where every ticket felt like a VIP experience. SmokeSlam is where the BBQ enthusiast can mingle with festival-goers and go beyond the pits and smoke to a festival for the whole family, where shared passions transcend state lines,” said Melzie Wilson, SmokeSlam Organizer.
One-day general admission tickets are $24.99, and three-day general admission tickets are $65. General admission tickets will get you access to BBQ tastings, live demos and Q&As by world renounced chefs and influencers, access to view SmokeSlam Awards show, and more.
VIP tickets and Pitmaster Passes, which will provide ticket holders with a more exclusive BBQ experience, are also available for purchase.
“The spirit of competition and love of BBQ unites us all in the great city of Memphis, and we promise ticket holders will not leave hungry, but will leave positively overwhelmed by an experience they’ve never seen or heard before,” added Wilson.
SmokeSlam says firework shows are also scheduled to close out the festival each night around 10:15 p.m.
Riverside Drive will be closed from Georgia Avenue to Beale Street from April 22-May 26, ahead of SmokeSlam and the associated RiverBeat Music Festival set to hit Tom Lee Park in May, said Memphis River Parks Partnership, which manages the riverfront park.
Tom Lee Park will be closed for festival prep from April 28-May 7. The RiverBeat Music Festival is scheduled for May 3-5.
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